System and method for live-interaction content

Abstract

A system and method provides live-interaction between a user and an advertiser or the advertiser's representative. An advertisement and a corresponding live interaction icon is displayed before a user. The user may select the icon to indicate a desire for additional information concerning the advertisement. Upon selection, the system initiates a video-conference session between the user and advertiser for the live exchange of information. During the session the advertiser may provide supplementary content, such as a video or electronic document, for display in the user's browser. The system consists of three dedicated modules that perform the aforementioned method steps.

1 . A method for providing, in a networked environment, live interaction between a user and an advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative through the user's HTML browser, wherein the user's browser displays at least one advertisement, the method steps comprising:
 providing a live interaction icon for at least one advertisement, wherein the icon is located proximate the advertisement, and wherein the icon is capable of providing an indication of the user's desire to obtain information regarding the advertisement;   accepting a request from the user via the live interaction icon;   initiating a video-conference session between the user and the advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative, wherein the session allows live interaction between the user and the representative; and   providing additional content for display in the user's browser, wherein the additional content provides the user with supplementary information regarding the advertisement.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , the method steps further comprising:
 determining whether the advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative is available; and   providing content for display in the user's browser, wherein the content is based upon the aforementioned availability.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , the method steps further comprising:
 providing a video commercial to the user in response to the unavailability of the advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , the method steps further comprising:
 causing a pop-up window to be instantiated from the user's browser, wherein the video-conference session occurs from the pop-up window.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , the method steps further comprising:
 causing a pop-up window to be instantiated from the user's browser, wherein the additional content is displayed in the pop-up window.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , the method steps further comprising:
 receiving an advertisement file for display in the user's browser; and   parsing the advertisement file to obtain information regarding the appropriate contact for additional live-interaction information concerning the advertisement.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the video-conference session consists of streaming video, and the audio portion is conveyed via a phone connection. 
     
     
         8 . A computer software program tangibly embodied in a computer readable medium, the program including machine-readable instructions executable by a computer processor to perform a method for providing, in a networked environment, live interaction between a user and an advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative through the user's HTML browser, wherein the user's browser displays at least one advertisement, the program steps comprising:
 providing a live interaction icon for at least one advertisement, wherein the icon is located proximate the advertisement, and wherein the icon is capable of providing an indication of the user's desire to obtain information regarding the advertisement;   accepting a request from the user via the live interaction icon;   initiating a video-conference session between the user and the advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative, wherein the session allows live interaction between the user and the representative; and   providing additional content for display in the user's browser, wherein the additional content provides the user with supplementary information regarding the advertisement.   
     
     
         9 . The computer software program of  claim 8 , the program steps further comprising:
 determining whether the advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative is available; and   providing content for display in the user's browser, wherein the content is based upon the aforementioned availability.   
     
     
         10 . The computer software program of  claim 9 , the program steps further comprising:
 providing a video commercial to the user in response to the unavailability of the advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative.   
     
     
         11 . The computer software program of  claim 8 , the program steps further comprising:
 causing a pop-up window to be instantiated from the user's browser, wherein the video-conference session occurs from the pop-up window.   
     
     
         12 . The computer software program of  claim 8 , the program steps further comprising:
 causing a pop-up window to be instantiated from the user's browser, wherein the additional content is displayed in the pop-up window.   
     
     
         13 . The computer software program of  claim 8 , the program steps further comprising:
 receiving an advertisement file for display in the user's browser; and   parsing the advertisement file to obtain information regarding the appropriate contact for additional live-interaction information concerning the advertisement.   
     
     
         14 . The computer software program of  claim 8 , wherein the video-conference session consists of streaming video, and the audio portion is conveyed via a phone connection. 
     
     
         15 . A system for providing, in a networked environment, live interaction between a user and an advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative through the user's HTML browser, wherein the user's browser displays at least one advertisement, the system comprising:
 an advertisement contact module, wherein the advertisement contact module parses received advertisement data to obtain contact information for the advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative;   a video-conferencing module, wherein the video-conferencing module establishes a communication session between the user and the advertiser or the advertiser's designated representative; and   a content-rendering module, wherein the content rendering module prepares additional content for display in the user's browser, wherein the additional content is based upon the advertisement.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15  wherein the content-rendering module causes the additional content to be displayed to the user in a pop-up window relative to the user's browser.